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Winter heating allowance

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System
System Posts: 178,344 Community Admin
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edited 22 August 2024 at 4:52PM in Benefits & tax credits
This discussion was created from comments split from: NHS Pension Questions......
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  • viv0147
    viv0147 Posts: 1,713 Forumite
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    I live alone at 76 years of age and the cost of living has hit hard, I get a pension and savings credit, and I have help with my rent and council tax will I qualify for the winter heating allowance? Thanks 
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  • MallyGirl
    MallyGirl Posts: 7,201 Senior Ambassador
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    viv0147 said:
    I live alone at 76 years of age and the cost of living has hit hard, I get a pension and savings credit, and I have help with my rent and council tax will I qualify for the winter heating allowance? Thanks 
    I have asked for this to be moved to a thread of its own on the benefits board.
    I’m a Senior Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on the Pensions, Annuities & Retirement Planning, Loans
    & Credit Cards boards. If you need any help on these boards, do let me know. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com.
    All views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.
  • MSE_ForumTeam5
    MSE_ForumTeam5 Posts: 1,276 Community Admin
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    Moved as per @MallyGirl's suggestion
    Official MSE Forum Team member. Please use the 'report' button to alert us to problem posts, or email forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com
  • peteuk
    peteuk Posts: 1,986 Forumite
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    edited 22 August 2024 at 5:17PM
    I believe pension credits does allow the winter fuel payment.  Below is taken from the gov payment

    You can get a Winter Fuel Payment for Winter 2024 to 2025 if you were born before 23 September 1958.

    You must also live in England or Wales and get one of the following:

    • Pension Credit
    • Universal Credit
    • income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
    • income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
    • Income Support
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  • I live in Northern Ireland and I get Income Related ESA in the support group. We get the couples rate. I am 59 years old and my husband is 78 years old, so the Winter Fuel payment was always based on his eligibility. However he does not get pension credit as he only worked for 19 years in Italy before moving here, so didn't have enough contributions to qualify. So I'm not sure if we'll get it if it's based only on pension credit. The ESA we get is my claim although we get the couples rate, so I'm really worried. Can someone please clarify?
  • Rubyroobs
    Rubyroobs Posts: 1,084 Forumite
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    I live in Northern Ireland and I get Income Related ESA in the support group. We get the couples rate. I am 59 years old and my husband is 78 years old, so the Winter Fuel payment was always based on his eligibility. However he does not get pension credit as he only worked for 19 years in Italy before moving here, so didn't have enough contributions to qualify. So I'm not sure if we'll get it if it's based only on pension credit. The ESA we get is my claim although we get the couples rate, so I'm really worried. Can someone please clarify?
    It says in Peteuk's post above that if you are in receipt of Income related ESA then you will get it. No pensioner is going to have an ESA claim in their name as ESA ends at pension age, so assume it must be awarded if the pensioner is part of a couple where one claims ESA.
  • peteuk
    peteuk Posts: 1,986 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    I live in Northern Ireland and I get Income Related ESA in the support group. We get the couples rate. I am 59 years old and my husband is 78 years old, so the Winter Fuel payment was always based on his eligibility. However he does not get pension credit as he only worked for 19 years in Italy before moving here, so didn't have enough contributions to qualify. So I'm not sure if we'll get it if it's based only on pension credit. The ESA we get is my claim although we get the couples rate, so I'm really worried. Can someone please clarify?
    I would say not!  As husband is not on PC - he wont get it and as your born after 1958 with what I’ve copied from the Gov website your too young,  However Im not sure that this carries to N.I….
    Proud to have dealt with our debts
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  • poppy12345
    poppy12345 Posts: 18,880 Forumite
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    I live in Northern Ireland and I get Income Related ESA in the support group. We get the couples rate. I am 59 years old and my husband is 78 years old, so the Winter Fuel payment was always based on his eligibility. However he does not get pension credit as he only worked for 19 years in Italy before moving here, so didn't have enough contributions to qualify. So I'm not sure if we'll get it if it's based only on pension credit. The ESA we get is my claim although we get the couples rate, so I'm really worried. Can someone please clarify?
    The new rules apply to England and Wales only. I can't seem to find anything for this year for N.I. 
  • Spoonie_Turtle
    Spoonie_Turtle Posts: 10,303 Forumite
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    nidirect.gov.uk doesn't have any up-to-date info about the WFP, it still refers to 2023/24.

    Latest info I can find for NI is a BBC article from 3-4weeks ago saying ministers have to decide what to do, including having to work out how they could fund the shortfall if they wanted to maintain the universal payment https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cjqe895zv3zo
  • nidirect.gov.uk doesn't have any up-to-date info about the WFP, it still refers to 2023/24.

    Latest info I can find for NI is a BBC article from 3-4weeks ago saying ministers have to decide what to do, including having to work out how they could fund the shortfall if they wanted to maintain the universal payment https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cjqe895zv3zo
    As of today a decision still hasn't been made.
    https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/ni-winter-fuel-payments-update-29798152
    Let's Be Careful Out There
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